Diego Luna didn’t waste time making his guest-hosting duties count Monday night.
The Mexican-born actor kicked off his week-long stint on Jimmy Kimmel Live! with a brief run of jokes—before shifting into an emotional, eight-and-a-half-minute monologue that delivered one of the most personal and politically-charged opening remarks the show has seen in years.
Luna used the platform to speak directly to the immigrant communities of Los Angeles—and to call out the Trump Administration. “With everything going on in this country around immigration and the authoritarian policies of Donald Trump,” Luna said, “it is no small thing that a Mexican is hosting such an important show.”
The crowd cheered. And then Luna got serious.
“The first time that I voluntarily set foot in the territory known as the United States, I was 20 years old,” he began. “After the success of Y Tu Mamá También, I started traveling to California for work, and Los Angeles became a place that I visited constantly—not only for my work, but also because I loved it.”
Luna’s monologue was part love letter to Los Angeles and part call to action. He reflected on his personal ties to the city—including the birth of his son—and described L.A. as a place shaped by cultural exchange, immigrant labor, and grassroots solidarity.
“This place is a powerful example of what’s possible, of what can be achieved when we put empathy first,” Luna said. “I met people that, to this day, are very close to my heart… The people that lifted me up were mostly people that had left their countries to find a new life, or the sons and daughters of immigrants.”
The monologue also took direct aim at Trump and the fear his anti-immigrant policies are stoking.
“I have never been able to fully understand how it is that someone like Donald Trump is able to acquire this level of power,” Luna said. “I also struggle to understand how his hate speech can take root in a country whose nature has always been a welcoming one.”
He pointed to the real impact of that rhetoric: “Far too many people live in fear—fear of taking their kids to school or going to the places where they earn an honest living. These people are your neighbors. Your friends. Immigrants.”
Luna underscored how essential immigrant labor is to every sector of American life—from agriculture and hospitality to caregiving and construction—and highlighted one key stat: In 2022, undocumented immigrants contributed an estimated $96.7 billion in taxes.
“That is something the Trump administration doesn’t want you to know,” Luna said. “There are a lot of lies flying around about immigrants, but I’m sure you have more than one story that can attest to the contrary. Talk about it. Share it. That helps.”
The speech ended with a clear policy demand: “Give them a path to legal certainty,” Luna said to applause from the show’s audience. “This is what your neighbors really deserve—to be fully welcome in this country where they already belong.”
Before wrapping, Luna offered viewers a practical step: calling their congressional representatives. He even gave out the number for Congress and mentioned organizations like Public Counsel and Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), which support immigrant families and legal aid efforts.
And in a final comic twist—true to the format—he added, “If my comments have angered you, I just want you to know, it was all written by [Kimmel’s security guard/sidekick] Guillermo.”
Watch Luna’s entire monologue at the top of this post.
it was the most intellectual thing I have heard spoken EVER. I grew up in San Jose in the 60’s and worked cutting apricots and going to school with Mexicans. I am half Italian and half English. My friends were, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican and Black. I am a better person and I am also a born again Christian and Baptist. I do not support Trump although I am a Republican.
Diego is so very respectful. Too bad his slant blurs the line between legal and illegal (aka undocumented) immigrants. Do the rioters hear him? Violence is not ok. Acknowledge the truly appropriate solution: a path to legal immigration. This is the least acknowledged solution to the problem: Enter the country legally.\
I do hope that this solution will inspire those who are part of the organized violent protests to regroup, use their finances to help people who are here illegally to find lawyers and lawful ways of becoming citizens.
A final note: No one spoke out when Obama voiced the same things President Trump is saying and acting on. Which means politics once again makes common sense issues become inflamed with emotional outrage instead of measured constructive responses to real concerns.
Thank you Diego. Yep just provide an easier pathway to citizenship. This is a travesty there has to be a better non violent way.
I thought Mr.Diego’s monologue was somewhat long.Cut down on the sob story!
His first guest who worked with Diego in a “Star Wars” feature made mention of “6 Latinos working on the show!”
So what!
Well done! We need more people speaking up for our immigrant population. We need to tell our representatives to stop breaking up families.
Apparently someone named Diego Luna has replaced former ‘comedian’ Jimmy Kimmel, while he’s undergoing his latest vaginoplasty procedure.
Unfortunately nobody saw the show, because America was tuned into the Greg Guttfeld Show.
Hopefully the Surgeons finally gave Kimmel the
new pooh-see he’s always dreamed about.
So he can put and end to his nightly TDS tantrums and woke histrionics, once and for all.
And BTW, ICE is definitely coming for Guillermo!
Good Luck with That!